1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to the automatic configuration of a data processing system when interfacing the system to one or more of various peripheral devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As data processing needs of system users grow, the number of devices supported by a data processing system also grows. Multiple data processing applications require a variety of system input and output devices. For example, word processing applications require keyboards, displays, and printers; investment and analysis applications require telecommunications and graphics.
In addition to supporting multiple applications and their associated input/output devices, data processing systems provide computer support to increasing numbers of users. Accordingly, a data processing system is required to support any number of terminal devices and supporting memory space.
A major factor in making the decision to purchase a particular data processing system confronts the person selecting a system for business or personal applications. Will the basic system purchased today be compatible with the various input/output devices that may be required to meet growing data processing system workloads? The ability to reconfigure a data processing system to provide enhanced and augmented user features and to accommodate additional users is thus a crucial factor in finally deciding which data processing system to purchase.
Many data processing systems are offered that provide expansion slots by which additional input/output and memory devices may be connected to the system. In such systems, every change in the system configuration effected as a result of the addition or substitution of I/O or memory devices requires a reconfiguration of the system software. In particular, the system software must be recompiled for each change to the system configuration so that the system is compatible with the added or substituted devices. Thus, a memory upgrade from floppy disc to hard disc requires a new operating system version, that is "aware" of the substituted storage medium. Similarly, adding additional input and output devices requires identification of the device and appropriate device commands in the operating system software. Absent such recompile or reconfiguration of the software, the operating system does not know which device is located where, nor does it know the particular requirements of the device for the exchange of data or for device control.
The present practice is to provide a diskette containing a new operating system version every time a system configuration is enhanced or otherwise altered. As a result, several operating system versions may exist for a particular data processing system at any given time. Depending on system configuration, not all operating system software will run the system correctly. As a result, there is much confusion and wasted effort in providing a new operating system for each change of data processing system configuration. This is a particularly acute problem, considering the relatively technical naivete of the average system user in this day of the ubiquitous data processing system.